


Hometowns, Thunderstorms, and Thomas Hunt

by AzaWhite



Category: Hollywood U: Rising Star
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, but this is just angst, started as a prompt fic, with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:25:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6619654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzaWhite/pseuds/AzaWhite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During the dinner party, Professor Hunt didn't ask dear MC (named Jade) to stay. These are the consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hometowns, Thunderstorms, and Thomas Hunt

Filming on location wasn't strictly necessary, but Jade really didn't want to be in LA any longer. She'd had her fair share of humiliation in regards to her futile attempts to get Hunt to acknowledge his feelings for her. What better way to dissolve heartbreak than to run away to her hometown in a childish fit? Besides, the wheat field scene had always existed in the film's script. Jade had just, ahem, convinced the producer to use real background rather than CGI. Normally, she wouldn't have dreamed of changing roles for a favor, but being rejected by Hunt seemed to have scrambled her common sense. (A small part of her heard him sniffing disdainfully that she didn't _have_ any sense to scramble. She told that part of her brain to shut up.)

"All right, Jade, you're ready!" Kate nodded to herself as she put away her makeup brushes. "You look like a goddess, girl."

"That's the point, isn't it? Thanks, Kate." Jade smiled as she slipped out of her robe and walked on bare feet to her spot. The familiar feeling of dirt between her toes reminded her of evenings lost in corn mazes and hikes up the dunes on the way to the beach. She shifted her toga a bit, letting it drape a bit more naturally. Someone handed her a woven basket full of fresh daisies, poppies, lavender, and a few apple blossoms.

Playing the part of Persephone in Micheal's debut short film series "Twisted Greek Myths" wasn't exactly her idea of a great role, but she enjoyed the concept. Persephone wasn't the sweet little flower goddess the myths portrayed—no, in this she was the sly, cunning Queen of the Underworld who purposely ate the pomegranate seeds. Jade snapped to attention as the director shouted orders.

"Jade, move a few rows closer, no, one more back, stay! Where's my Demeter—there you are Anne. Get at least another fifteen yards away from her. Good! We have to hurry, the clouds are going to pour soon—hello, Professor Hunt!"

Jade stiffened instinctively, and only a not-so-subtle jerk of Anne's head reminded her to loosen up. Despite feeling Hunt's eyes on her every move, she somehow managed to finish the scene. And in a record three cuts. She guessed it was easy to act frightened when faced with the possibility of talking to Hunt.

* * *

 

"It's a wrap! Make sure you're at the airport bright and early tomorrow morning." The director peered into the sky. "Hurry and get the equipment dismantled and packed. I don't have time to fix any water damage. And we're _not_ paying to replace cameras."

Jade quickly shed her toga for a tank top and shorts before helping load the equipment. The loaded vans rumbled down the road, kicking up trace amounts of ashy dirt. The sight brought a small smile to her face. She turned to see Kate and Anne gesturing for her to catch the last van to the hotel. She shook her head.

"I'm good, girls. I know my way around here. And I've got a phone. No need to worry."

"Are you sure?" Kate's uncertain tone carried across the distance.

"Yeah, I'm sure. See you at the hotel." Jade worked her way to the main road, hyper aware of Hunt following her.

"Jade." Hunt's voice was strong as ever, but she quickened her pace, determined not to let him see the tears form in the corners of her eyes.

"Don't you have a rental car or something? Some fancy luxury sports car? Though how you got one in this town I don't know..."

"No." The word was near silent; she had almost missed it. He placed a hand on her shoulder, though she steadily refused to face him. "Jade, I—"

"Don't." A flash of lightening punctuated her statement. She waited for the accompanying roll of thunder to pass before speaking again. “I let it go, that’s what you wanted. Don’t change your mind now.” She jerked her shoulder from his grasp, and _ran_.

The tears were flowing freely now, mixing in with the rain. Jade could just hear Hunt’s footsteps pounding after her, the rhythmic thuds echoing her heartbeat. She sped up, hoping to at least make it to her grandmother’s old house before succumbing to the cold and wet. As the estate-style home loomed into view, she fished in her shorts for the key.

Jade sprinted up the porch steps and jammed the key into the doorknob, blond hair dripping water down her face and getting in the way. She twisted the key and shoved the door open, ignoring the customary groan from the hinges. Hunt had just reached the porch when Jade slammed the door shut.

She wouldn’t let her heart get tangled up with him ever again. (Or at least that’s what she told herself.)

* * *

 

 To her surprise, Hunt didn't leave right away. In fact, he stayed for the whole ten minutes it took for her charitable nature to come out and open the door.

“Hey, uh, Professor?”

He turned, sending inky locks of wet hair splatting against his forehead. “Yes?”

Jade swallowed. “You want to come inside? I mean, it’s really cold out there and I don’t want you to get hypothermia or pneumonia ‘cause you’re probably even more irritating when you’re sick and—”

He cut her rambling off by stepping into the entryway. Jade shut the door gently and squelched over to the hallway closet, where she pulled out a couple towels. Hunt grabbed his and began drying himself off. After wrapping her towel under her arms, she headed up the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Hunt’s meek tone made her stop cold.

“I think my grandmother kept some of my dad’s old clothes up here somewhere. We both need a change of clothes. And robes.”

After digging up some of her father’s jeans and a tee-shirt, she padded over to her room to grab some clothes. Most of her closet was too small, but she found a halter top and some short shorts that would probably fit. Jade also found a couple robes and descended down the staircase.

Hunt turned, towel in his hands ignored as he studied her. Jade crossed her arms to hide some of the embarrassment. She thrust her dad’s clothes at Hunt’s chest, trying desperately to calm her heartbeat. “Get dressed. It’s not exactly couture, but it’ll keep you warmer than that wet suit.” He looked down and then at her, a steady blush growing. She understood his hesitation, but couldn’t resist a little snark. “Don’t worry about indecency, Professor. I’ll change in the basement while I turn on the warm water and heat.”

Jade cranked up the heat to a toasty 68 degrees before shedding her wet clothes and changing into the dry ones. She wrapped herself snugly into the robe before trudging to the main floor. She found Hunt in the living room, sitting awkwardly stiff on a vintage sofa.

“So, I guess we need to talk.” At her words, Hunt startled, nearly leaping off the sofa.

“Yes, we do.” His rumbling baritone caused her heart to stick in her throat.

“Uh, please, have a seat.” She gestured aimlessly back at the sofa. Hunt re-seated himself, and Jade herself sat on the other end, fiddling with her robe’s sash.

“I’m sorry.” Those are words she’d never thought she’d hear come out of Thomas Hunt’s mouth, and for a moment, she stopped breathing. “I messed up that night.”

She swallowed, preparing to say the damning words, but he spoke over her.

“You’re my weakness, Jade. And—and I should’ve told you to stay.”

The words froze on her tongue. Jade sat stock-still, processing the words that Hunt had unleashed.

“Jade, you’re the one I want. To hell with the rules, I want to take you for dinner, drinks, the whole nine yards.” His impassioned speech resonated in the room, and Jade cursed the acoustics for flinging his words back to her ears, over and over.

“Thomas… I don’t know what to think…”

Hunt smiled, a real genuine smile. “Don’t think. Just say yes.”

For a brief moment, Jade considered telling him no, to leave her heart alone. But her heart overwhelmed her entire being, launching her into Hunt’s arms. “Yes,” she breathed, and for a moment, everything was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you like this, please drop some kudos and/or a comment. I do have some continuations in mind, so if you'd like to see more, please let me know!


End file.
